


Where the World Can See Us

by mssvteen (Knaija)



Series: Inspired by: [5]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: College AU, Fluff, Shipping, Smut, drama club, fan girling, first time kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 05:23:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11396199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knaija/pseuds/mssvteen
Summary: Jihoon couldn't believe what was happening. He'd signed up to play a part in the school drama. He didn't think he'd have to kiss another guy on stage. He also didn't think he'd like it so much.





	Where the World Can See Us

**Author's Note:**

> This work was originally posted as a HoGyu fic titled: [To Want What's Mine](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10746543)

_+Did you see how they were looking at each other?_

_+How many scenes do they share in the actual book?_

_+I love how the director made their fight seem like foreplay_

_+My god! All the humping on the stage_

_+There’s no way I’m missing next weekend’s show_

_+Does anyone know where I can find the novel?_

_+I ship BooYoung so hard_

_+Did the school actually commission a gay play?_

_+I think the proper ship name is YoungBoo_

_+Where have they been all this time?_

_+It’s not a novel –it’s a play. It’s called “To Want What’s Mine”_

_+I hope the play never ends_

_+Maybe they’d have sex on stage…_

Jihoon slammed his laptop shut and sat in the darkness of his dorm room. This was ridiculous. People were ridiculous. Hoshi had advised against reading club reviews after just one week on stage but Jihoon had been too curious. Being the newest addition to the drama club for course points, he’d been desperate for some feedback because Professor Mangmu was being very tight-lipped about what he truly thought of Jihoon’s performances during rehearsal and on stage. It wasn’t like he’d had a choice.

But this… this was so silly. Minyoung and Boohyun had nothing between them. The script had said so. What were all these people –girls- thinking? Now, the next time he stood on stage with Boohyun, he’d feel weird. And it would be weird for only Jihoon because he was the only one stupid enough to read student reviews.

He dropped his head on his laptop, sighing into the dark. Why had he let this happen at all? He should have just let it be. He was going to let it be from now on. He’d learned his lesson and he was just going to have to leave his fate to Professor Mangmu and accept whatever it was by the end of the semester.

*********

Seungcheol’s classes usually ran late on Tuesdays so he knew no one would be surprised that he was an hour late for rehearsal because he always was. So he’d taken the chance to stop by his dorm and have some dinner before he eventually showed up for rehearsal that day.

When he entered the auditorium, he could hear the finishing tune of “Clear My Doubts” as the two main characters in the drama swept off the stage through opposite sides. He regretted showing up as late as he did. He always loved to watch Junghan and Soojong take that scene as they sang till tears sometimes came to Seungcheol’s eyes.

He made his way down the stage as the stage manager handed him a new script.

“I have my lines down.” Seungcheol said, waving his copy of the original play but the manager shook his head.

“There’ve been some changes.”

Seungcheol took the script from him, frowning as he swept through the ten scenes for the next weekend’s production.

_Boohyun_

_Minyoung_

_Boohyun_

_Minyoung_

_…._

_Boohyun_

_Minyoung_

_Boohyun_

_Min…_

“Uh…” Seungcheol called out to everyone. “Why do I now have so many lines with…” He trailed off staring at the actor who played Minyoung. “Minyoung?”

“Jihoon.” The boy said.

“Why do I have so many lines with Jihoon?” Seungcheol asked. “And what is this?  _‘I’ve been watching you for a while now.’_  Boohyun is supposed to say,  _‘leaning back in casual seductiveness’_. Are you freaking kidding me?” What the heck were they doing? “Whose idea was it to destroy a classic?”

“A word, Seungcheol.” Seongsu, the director said, waving Seungcheol over to the side of the stage. “You guys can keep on with practice.”

“Hyung, what are you doing?”

“We had to make a few changes.”

Seungcheol laughed, covering his mouth as he looked back at the stage where the boy –Jihoon- was watching him and the director quietly from the corner of the stage.

“Okay, first of all, I decided to play Boohyun because I have finals this year. I told you about this. I want to be in the play but I want a tiny role. Now Boohyun and Minyoung are in almost all of the ten scenes for the weekend.”

“But Seungcheol-”

“Second of all, since when are Boohyun and Minyoung flirting? Hyung, they hate each other.”

“Well, they don’t anymore.”

Seongsu pulls out his phone as he clicks around and hands it to Seungcheol.

_+You could see Minyoung’s boner throughout the fight scene._

_+Did you see them making eye contact at the back of the stage?_

_+It’s so weird that Anna and Jaebum are having a beautiful scene in the front but all I’m seeing is BooYoung._

Seungcheol handed the phone back to Seongsu.

“So what? A couple of reviews and you’re changing everything?”

“It’s not a couple of reviews, Seungcheol. The school paper carried it.”

He hands the phone to Seungcheol again and he’s suddenly staring at a picture of himself and Jihoon. He’s sitting at the edge of the stage with his legs hanging off to the side but Jihoon’s behind him, watching him attentively with his hands in his pocket. The caption above reads: CHEMISTRY AMONG ENEMIES. And Seungcheol has to stop because he can swear he already knows what the article will say.

“Tickets are sold out for next weekend, Seungcheol and it’s just Tuesday.”

_Huh?_

“Hyung, there a thousand seats in this auditorium.”

“Precisely.” Seongsu said. “And if they paid to see you and Jihoon make googly eyes at each other, that’s exactly what they’re going to get.”

*********

Rehearsal turned into an awkward mess after Seungcheol came back, sulking and completely uncooperative. He stood beside Jihoon, staring down at his script like he wanted to be anywhere else but on the stage.

By the time Jihoon and Seungcheol ran the three first scenes that they had with other people, Jihoon was so done. Everything sucked. Seungcheol’s mood hadn’t improved the fact that everyone had to work with a new script wasn’t helping much, either. So the director called for an early close and asked that they all get better acquainted with their new lines.

As Jihoon went to pick his bag, he spotted Seungcheol talking to the lead character, Junghan by the door. He was just about to look away when they both turned to him and Jihoon froze, feeling caught.

“Hey, Jihoon!” Junghan, the pretty one called. “Are you busy?”

“Not… not right now.”

“Come have drinks with us.” He commanded and Jihoon nodded, taking out his phone and typing a quick text to Hoshi that he was in desperate need of backup. Hoshi was good people. He’d play back up for Jihoon any day.

By the time he got to them, Junghan was slinging an arm around his shoulders and squeezing up to Jihoon like they’d been friends since forever. Jihoon just laughed, going with the flow. If the two most popular drama club students wanted to hang, he was so down with that.

However, as it turned out, Hoshi was so not the backup he’d thought he’d be getting. He’d forgotten that Hoshi had been in the drama club with Junghan for the last three years and so was a part of the Seungcheol and Junghan inner club, sharing their jokes and laughing with them and almost completely oblivious to how uncomfortable Jihoon was.

“You’re not drinking.” Seungcheol said, nodding at his full glass.

“Jihoonie doesn’t drink.” Hoshi cooed trying to rub Jihoon’s chin as Jihoon swiftly smacked his hand away.

“Really?” Junghan asked.

“What’s wrong with alcohol?” Seungcheol asked, twirling his cup around as Jihoon watched the liquid swish and swish inside of it in an almost mesmerized fashion.

“It’s… it’s just not my thing.”

“Right.” Seungcheol said, still looking at him. Jihoon felt weird under the attention. He also suddenly felt the need to pull his sweater around himself and scrunch his fingers further into the sleeves. Because Seungcheol was looking at him and it was… it was different.

“Hey.” Hoshi said. “You two should be sitting together. You need to bond.”

“No, we don’t.” Jihoon was going to kill Hoshi later. Or maybe unfriend the disloyal asshole.

Jihoon was then pulled up and dumped on the cushion beside Seungcheol as Seungcheol shifted to accommodate him.

“Yes, you do.” Junghan agreed. “You’re about to become lead roles and we can’t have you both showing up on Sunday without any chemistry.”

“We have plenty of chemistry.” Seungcheol said dryly. “There’s even an article about it.”

“Well, there wasn’t any from today’s rehearsal.”

Seungcheol hit Junghan on the head.

“You take that back.”

“Hit me all you want but you still need to get to know each other.”

“Fine.” Seungcheol said, looking up at Jihoon from his lean against the wall. “Get to know me. God knows we need it.”

What was he supposed to say now?

“Why don’t you get to know me?” Jihoon asked back, trying to mirror Seungcheol’s position but he had less space to spread into and he wasn’t as inebriated as the rest of them were, having avoided his drink the entire time.

“Oh, lookie, rookie.” Seungcheol said, eyes shining as he watched Jihoon. “There’s a kissing scene this weekend.”

“I know.”

“We’re going to kiss each other.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“Have you kissed a guy before?”

No, he definitely had not. And before today, he’d never even thought it would be an item on his college experience list. But before he could answer, he heard smacking sounds coming from the other side of the table and he looked over, wishing he hadn’t, only to find Junghan and Hoshi kissing slowly as they caressed each other on the neck, the shoulders, the body.

What were they doing?

“So, never kissed a guy, have you?”

“They’re kissing.” Jihoon informed Seungcheol as if Seungcheol couldn’t see.

“Does it bother you?”

“Does it bother  _you_?” Jihoon asked back, managing to tear his eyes from the duo making out on the other side of the tiny room.

“Why would it bother me?”

“Ah, sunbae.” Jihoon said, pulling at the neck of his sweater because everything felt really hot. “You were… you seemed kinda angry during rehearsal.”

“Because I was.”

“Because you have to kiss me?”

“Because I’m allergic to change. Especially one that’s on the whim of a few, bored college girls.” Seungcheol grouched. “I have no problem with kissing you.”

Jihoon gulped, licking his lips as he watched Seungcheol’s, wondering what they’d taste like.

“Oh, for god’s sake.” Seungcheol said, pulling Jihoon down and clashing their lips together.

*********

Thursday practice turned out to be much better for Seungcheol. Once he’d readied his mind for the new role and decided that maybe it wouldn’t do to murder his director, he’d made his way to practice and waited for everyone because his Thursday classes ended before six.

After kissing Jihoon about a million times and convincing Jihoon to initiate a few kisses as well, Seungcheol figured they were a little more comfortable with each other. But he hadn’t been prepared for the amount of snark and attitude Jihoon could give to the character of Minyoung until they were facing each other on Thursday and Jihoon was dazzling everyone.

“Yeah,” Jihoon said, rolling his eyes as he danced out of Seungcheol’s reach. “Nothing’s ever that easy.”

“You’re easy.”

“You won’t make me a child.” Jihoon said, changing the line from  _“I’m not getting into a childish fight with you.”_ Causing Seungcheol to laugh as he replied:

“Maybe we could make one together.” He knew was going off script, but he didn’t care.

“Hyung, do you have no idea where babies come from?” Jihoon asked, deviating farther from the script.

“Okay, okay. Hold on.” Seongsu said, waving his hand at both of them. “Pens, you two. Write that down.”

“Write what down?” Jihoon asked, cheeks red as he looked like he was struggling to focus on anything but the script. Seungcheol could definitely understand where he was coming from. Because they'd been on a roll and they could’ve gone all night bantering between them. But the story had to move on.

“Your dialogue. I like where that was going. Can you take it from there but Seungcheol, join up at  _‘don’t change the subject’_.”

“That’s like three lines away.”

“Yeah. But your adlibs make more sense. Let them replace the old lines.”

Nodding, Seungcheol and Jihoon got back to it, trying to stick to the original script now, but even Seungcheol couldn’t keep his mind off the fact that with every word, they were getting closer and closer to the kissing scene.

But at the end of the rehearsal, when they finally ran the kissing scene, it was abrupt and curt and felt nothing like when they’d kissed in a dim room, surrounded by soju bottles and kissing friends. It had seemed almost impersonal and uncomfortable. And yet, when Seungcheol had pulled away from Jihoon, the hall had been silent for a second.

And then everyone had erupted in applause.

“Okay then.” Seungcheol said, hugging Jihoon from the side as he bowed and pushed Jihoon’s head down too till they were both bowing at everyone before them. “If this causes more noise on campus, better get ready. Because we’ll probably be having sex next week.”

Jihoon’s face was blue when they both stood up straight and Seungcheol wasn’t going to admit how much fun it was to rile the younger actor up.

“So, you and the tiny one.” Junghan said, later, wagging his eyebrows at him.

“Don’t be stupid.” Seungcheol said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

“I’m just saying.” Junghan shrugged. “That kiss-”

“Was nothing.” Seungcheol informed him.

“Did we… were we in the same auditorium?”

“Don’t try to stir shit up.” Seungcheol warned.

“I’m just saying. If that’s a stage kiss, I want to be one of you when the curtains come down.”

“It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because he’s a straight dude who just kissed a guy for the first time on Tuesday.”

*********

Jihoon stood behind the stage, squatting with his hand on his shoelaces as the words continued to wash over him.

_…because he’s a straight dude… straight dude… because he’s a straight dude…_

What the hell did it mean to be straight anyway? Girls were pretty. They were okay. But it wasn’t as if he was one of those guys who felt like he’d die if he didn’t fuck a girl every week. He’d lost his virginity in high school and had moved on to college but he hadn’t even bothered with a relationship. He hadn’t had the time or energy for it. Not when he was doubling in Dance and in Engineering. That he had the time to take extra hours on a drama was because he was taking only four core courses in the current semester.

If straight was someone who didn’t like –or look forward to- kissing another guy, then Jihoon wasn’t so sure he was straight anymore. He’d felt warm and tingly all over on Tuesday when they’d made out in the quiet room. He’d gone back to dorm and thought about it till he had dreams about it. And he’d come back to rehearsal, pumping in sexual energy. If the director wanted them to have sex the next week and Seungcheol thought they should practice? Yeah! Jihoon would be totally fine with it.

Unless Seungcheol wasn’t. Unless he was just kissing and promising sex to fit a role… because he was a professional. And Jihoon was… well he wasn’t straight. So he had to be something.

Jihoon continued tying his lace as the door closed on the other two boys leaving the auditorium. His phone buzzed after he got up and picked his bag and it was a text.

**CHEOL: want to get drinks?**

Jihoon stared at the text. This was such a stupid thing to get vexed over. By the time the drama was done in five weeks and Jihoon had received his scores, he wouldn’t be here anymore. There was no need to get a quarter-life crisis over something so passing as a stage kiss.

**HOON: can’t. have early classes**

It was a weak lie but Jihoon couldn’t bring himself to care anymore.

*********

Seungcheol looked at his phone with a frown.

“What is it?” Junghan asked. “Is he coming?”

“No.”

Junghan shrugged and continued on his way.

“That’s weird.”

“What is?” Junghan asked.

“Do you know anyone with early Friday classes?”

*********

Saturday practice was a little worse than Thursday had been. Jihoon tried to be calm about the way his head pounded anytime Seungcheol got too close. But he tried to cover it up even though he was sure Seungcheol could tell something was wrong.

At the end of practice, Seungcheol cornered him.

“Did I do something?” he asked as Jihoon focused seriously on a point just above Seungcheol’s shoulder.

“No. We’re fine.”

“Are we?” Seungcheol asked. “You’ve been… stiff with me.”

“It’s fine. It’s cool. I just have things on my mind.”

“Get drinks with me.”

“I have-”

“Before you lie, remember that tomorrow is Sunday.”

Jihoon knew he was blushing in shame because Seungcheol laughed and pulled at his hand, tugging him out of the hall.

The familiar tiny room didn’t feel so enclosing the second time Jihoon walked into it. But maybe that had something to do with the fact that they were half the number of people that had come in the first time.

“I still don’t drink.” Jihoon said as they sat, waiting for Seungcheol’s order.

“It’ll be just for me then.” He said, smiling so his cheeks came up and closed his eyes like a chipmunk.

“Sunbae, we have a show tomorrow.”

“Are you seriously never going to call me hyung off stage?”

Jihoon considered for a moment before nodding.

“Hyung.” He said, testing it. It felt even better in real life.

“See? I’m a better hyung than a sunbae anyway.”

Jihoon laughed.

“Now, want to tell me why we’re tense?”

“It’s nothing.”

“I’m going to keep asking till you tell me.”

Jihoon exhaled, feeling heavy and uncomfortable. So he pulled of his coat and the crack his neck from side to side. They weren’t kids here. Hell, the last time they’d been in this room, Jihoon had watched Hoshi and Junghan make out like it was no one’s business. He’d also kissed Seungcheol too. He’d done that. Yep. That had happened. There was no reason to be ashamed of what he was feeling. It was nothing.

“Talk to me.”

“I liked… kissing you.” He said, looking down at his hands.

“I like kissing you too. What’s the problem?”

Jihoon raised his eyes and stared back at Seungcheol. Was it that easy? Could it be that easy to just say like it meant nothing but also like it meant the world?

“I’m not straight.” Jihoon said.

“Is that what’s the problem?”

Jihoon nodded. And Seungcheol sat forward, leaning over the table.

“You’re in your third year, right? You have what? Two years to go? Engineering? Then what? Join the civil service, get a job, join military service, get discharged, go join some theater or some dance company or be an engineer-”

“What’s your point?” Jihoon asked.

“You have your whole life ahead of you.” Seungcheol said. “Don’t overthink everything today. If you think you’ve figured out something new about you. That’s fine. Start from there. Start simple.”

Start simple, Jihoon thought. Start simple.

“I like kissing you.” He repeated. That was simple enough.

“I want to kiss you too.” Seungcheol said, smiling at him.

“Yeah.” Jihoon nodded as Seungcheol got up to come closer. “Okay. Yes.”

*********

That Sunday, the ten scenes were explosive. Junghan and Soojong sang a duet, as was standard; there was a group number; Jihoon did his solo; and Seungcheol and Jihoon kissed in the final scene.

Seungcheol had almost forgotten that the entire auditorium had sold out. Not until their lips were letting go and the hall was going up in cheers and screams, did he suddenly remember that at least a thousand people were watching them kiss. In front of the school… and cameras… and real life people.

Jihoon had looked a little scared too. Like he was only just realizing what Seungcheol was just realizing as well.

But it wasn’t as if anything could happen to them. They had a script to protect them, a director to blame if it all went sideways, a throng of fans to support the characters because it was technically everyone’s doing. Jihoon and Seungcheol were just being professional.

They’d kissed each other not because they wanted to but because  _the school_  wanted them to.

No one was going to be able to crucify them for  _that_.

After the show, the others wanted to go out for drinks but Seungcheol wasn’t really in the mood. That wasn’t what he was jonzing for at the moment. So he’d pulled Jihoon aside, ignoring knowing looks from Hoshi and Junghan.

“You’re coming back to my dorm.” Seungcheol told him.

“Why?”

“Because I don’t have a roommate.” Seungcheol said.

And that had been that.

Seungcheol had expected restraint or confusion or worry from Jihoon, seeing as the boy had claimed to be a novice. The height of his expectation had been a little eagerness, maybe some curiosity. But he’d been completely unprepared for Jihoon’s enthusiasm and vigorous sexual energy.

He felt silly about his confusion though. He shouldn’t have expected less. Jihoon was a dancer and dancers always claimed to be especially aware of their bodies. So why had Seungcheol assumed Jihoon would have no idea what his body needed when it came to sex?

Jihoon had been too curious to try everything, eyes shining bright at every new sensation as his expression went from confusion to happiness in a matter of seconds in a manner that made Seungcheol feel like a deity. If this was how sex was going to be every day, Seungcheol didn’t think he’d ever be able to get enough of Jihoon. Not any time, if at all.

By the time they finally fell asleep, sated and aching all over, Seungcheol just knew… he totally knew… that nothing on the planet was going to make him wake up in time for classes the next day.

*********

Jihoon woke the next morning, sure that there should be daylight streaming in. But the room was as dark as night and the only light present seemed to be coming off a glare from a laptop, where Seungcheol sat with his legs folded into a chair as he read from the screen.

“Good morning.” He said, falling back on the bed.

“Good morning.” Seungcheol said, getting up with his laptop and coming to kiss Jihoon as Jihoon’s mind rewound to the night before. He could feel himself blushing and knew his cheeks were frozen in a shameful smile. He was absolutely glad for the darkness.

He’d just had sex.

He’d had sex with Seungcheol.

 _Garrrh_ , he wasn’t going to be able to make it to class.

“I’m reading reviews.”

“Oh god. Don’t.” Jihoon said, shifting away as he turned, unwilling to look at the screen.

“They’re talking about us having sex and saying very raunchy things.”

“Jokes on them.” He said. “Because _had_ sex already.”

“We did, didn’t we?” Seungcheol said, kissing him again when Jihoon turned to look at the screen.

_+Jihoon’s tongue was in his mouth. Did you see?_

_+Maybe they’re fucking._

_+They didn’t go out to club dinner. The both of them_

_+Did you watch the entire thing?_

_+Oh my god, that kiss!_

“Oh god.” Jihoon said in horror. “They’re not talking about our characters.”

“I know.”

“They’re talking about us.  _Real life_  us.”

“I know.” Seungcheol said laughing.

“Oh god.” Jihoon said, burying himself in Seungcheol’s comforter because he was never going to come out for air ever again.

“Girls are so weird.” Seungcheol said, sounding amused.

Jihoon didn’t care. He wasn’t about to fuss. Seungcheol was right here. And he could kiss him anytime he wanted and, apparently… anywhere.

 


End file.
